Rail anchoring and securing device



Oct. 25, 1949.

RAIL ANCHORING AND SECURING nzvrcs Filed Aug. 28, 1946 WWTF'LLMQ acm T.F. JONES j 2,486, 0 I

Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL ANCHORING ANDSECURING DEVICE Thomas F. Jones, Nashville, Tenn. Application August 28,1946, Serial No. 693,559

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in rail anchoring and securingdevice.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide means bywhich the rail may be securely anchored to the tie so as to prevent itfrom moving either laterally or longitudinally and to eliminate the useof spikes the use of which reduce greatly the useful life of the tie dueto spike cutting and decay in the vicinity of the spikes.

The invention also eliminates the necessity of auge rods as with its useeach tie becomes a gauge rod. It also eliminates the necessity of usingseparate rail anchors as the invention prevents the longitudinalmovement of the rail in both directions. Provision has been made for theadjustment of the gauge due to wear of the rail or appurtenances.

Where the invention is used on wood ties, ties will be prebored at thetreating plant, prior to treatment, to the proper gauge and the properdistance from top of tie depending on type of tie plate to be used andthe depth of adzing to receive plate.

Many other advantages of this invention, such as the prevention of tiesplitting, additional safety in case of broken rail, elimination ofpossible damage to base of rail by striking it with spike maul whenspiking, ease of application, simplicity of design, low cost ofmanufacture, reduction of wear between the rail and tie plate andbetween the tie plate and tie.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view showing the invention applied to a tie andrail;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a View in side elevation of a plate and a rail in crosssection to illustrate the application of the plate to the rail;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of one of the plates of a set;

Figures 5 and 6 are plan views illustrating the position of the plateswith respect to the center line of the rails in their differentpositions;

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the bolt; and

Figure 8 is a detail view in elevation of one of the plates.

A steel or metal plate Ill of requisite size and thickness is formed insomewhat of the shape of a U or yoke, by providing an opening II whichextends from one edge of the plate toward the bottom edge, therebyproviding two oppositely disposed arms I 2, I2. The plate is formed of ametal which afiords a sufiicient resiliency to the arms to allow forthem to be sprung outwardly inner walls of the arms I2 are recessed asat I! forming shoulders I8 on each arm. The lugs I I will engage theupper surface of' the base flange I9 of the rail I6, and the shouldersI8 will engage the edges 22 of the base flange of the rail I6 when theplate is sprung into position on the rail as indicated in Figure 3. Thisis accomplished by inserting a suitable tool between the web I5 andtread 22 of the rail I6 and forcing the lug I4 onto the flange of therail to cause the edges of the rail to be engaged by the shoulders I8.

The bottom portion of the plate Ill is provided adjacent the lowerportions of the arms l2 with a round hole 23 and preferably an oval holerespectively. These holes preferably have the centers thereof atdifferent distances from the center line of the plate, so that one holewill be at a greater distance from the center line of the plate than theother.

The cross tie 25, of any suitable material, but generally of wood isprovided with two transverse parallel holes 26, 26 at each end of thetie. A tie plate 21 is mounted on the cross ties beneath the rail I6,and plates II] are applied to both sides of the cross tie 25 and securedin position by bolts 29 and nuts 30.

The plates II] are substantial duplicates and are applied to a tie onboth sides and at each end thereof, so that we have a set of plates ateach end of a tie. Now, one of the plates [0, has the center of the ovalhole 24, arranged four and one-fourth inches from the center line of theplate, while the hole 23 has the center thereof disposed four andone-half inches from the center line of the plate. The companion plateI0 of the set is located on the opposite side of the tie, and the centerof hole 23 is four and one- V fourth inches from the center line of theplate,

and the oval hole 24 is four and a half inches from the center line ofthe plate. When these plates I!) are positioned on the tie after hav ingbeen sprung into position on the base flange I9 of the rail I6, hole 23of oneplate will register with hole 24 of the plate I ll on the oppositeside of the tie, and hole 24 of the first plate will register with hole23 of the second plate, so that the holes of the respective plates whichare four and a quarter inches from the center line of the plates will bein registry, and the holes which are four and a half inches from thecenter line of the respective plates will be in registry. The bolts 29are provided adjacent their heads with shoulders 32 on the shanksthereof which correspond to the contour of the holes 24 of the plates,and as the bolts pass through the plates and ties, the shoulders arereceived in the oval openings or holes of the plates to hold the boltagainst turning, while the round or circular portions of the bolts passthrough the round holes 23 of the plates, nuts 30 are screwed onto thebolts for securing the plates to the tie and rail. It will be observedthat the heads of the bolts for each set of plates are disposed onopposite sides of the tie.

To maintain the gage between the respective rails of a track, due toWear on the inside of the rails caused by the flanges of the wheelspassing over the rails, the plates are arranged in a reverse positionfrom what has just been set forth, wherein the ends of the plates havingthe holes 23, 2 3 located four and a quarter inches from the centerlines of the respective plates are positioned along the inner side ofthe base flanges H] of the rails, the ends of the plates having theholes 23, 2s disposed four and a half inches from the center line ofsaid plates are positioned on the outer sides of the base flanges is.This of course, shifts the center line of the plates inwardly toward thetransverse center line of the ties and thereby again establishes theproper gauge between the rails. Figures 5 and 6 diagrammaticallyillustrate these positions.

The measurements set forth for the disposition of the holes 23 and 24,is merely for the purpose of illustration as to the manner of havingthem arranged at difierent distances from the center line of theirrespective plates I 0, and it is not the intent to be restricted tothese specific measurements.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that provision has been made foranchoring the rail against longitudinal movement and against lateral orspreading action, and also prevents overturning or tipping action.

This invention exerts spring action on the edges of the base flange ofthe rail on opposite sides thereof by means of the spring arms l2. Thisdisposition of the arms with respect to the rail not only clamps therail to the tie, but, due to the spring action of the arms l2 of theplates it, effected by forcing the upward ends or lugs it of the yokeapart before it can be placed on the rail base, the yokes or platesexert a pressure on each edge of the base of the rail, which actionprevents longitudinal movement of the rail.

Further, the rails can be brought into gage after they have become wornby simply turning the plates l0 around and placing the ends of theplates formerly on the gage side of the rail on the outside of the rail.

In the use of these anchor plates 8 with the usual rail, it isunnecessary to employ them on each tie throughout the length of the railunder ordinary circumstances, and other types of plates could beemployed for the remainder of the rail. It is preferable to have theplates IQ disposed at diiferent intervals with the other type offastening interposed therebetween.

I claim:

1. The combination of a rail and its supporting cross tie, said crosstie being provided with transverse holes at each end of said tie, saidrail including a tread and base flange, anchor plates disposed onopposite sides of said cross tie comprising upstanding arms arranged inspaced relation for the reception of and engagement with said railflange, each of said plates being provided with holes therethrough whichholes of said respective plate register with the holes at one end ofsaid cross tie when said plates are positioned on each side thereof, andsecuring means passing through said holes of said plates and tie forsecuring said rail to said tie, said plates having each of the holesthereof disposed at different distances with respect to the centerlinethereof and with respect to said arms thereof, so that said plates maybe reversibly mounted on the cross tie by turning said plates around endto end so that the ends of said plates formerly on the gage side of saidrail are on the outside of said rail and thereby causing said rail andthe center line of said plates to be shifted longitudinally of said tiefor correcting the gage of said rail.

2. The combination of a rail and its supporting cross tie, said railincluding a tread and a base flange, anchor plates disposed on oppositesides of said cross tie comprising upstanding resilient arms, said armshaving inwardly extending lugs arranged in spaced relation for engagingthe upper surface of said base flange, said arms having the inner wallsthereof beneath said lugs resiliently engaging the edges of said baseflange upon springing said lugs on to said base flange, each of saidplates having holes therethrough and said holes being disposed atdifferent distances from the center line of each of said plates, saidplates arranged on said ties so that said holes of the respective plateswhich are the shortest distance from the center line of said plates wille in registry when said plates are positioned on said tie, and saidholes which are the greater distance from the center line of said plateswill be in registry, and securing means passing through said holes ofsaid plates and ties for securing said rail to said tie, said platesbeing reversibly mounted on said tie and rail by turning said platesaround end to end so that the ends of said plates having the holes theshortest distance from the center line of said plates are positionedalong the inner side of said flange, and the ends of said plates havingthe holes a greater distance from saidcenter line will be on the outerside of said base flange and thereby cause said rail and center line ofsaid plates to be shifted lengthwise of said cross tie for correctingthe gage of said rail.

3. The combination of a rail and its supporting cross tie, said crosstie having transverse holes at each end thereof, said rail including atread and a base flange, anchor plates disposed on opposite sides ofsaid cross tie comprising upstanding resilient arms, said arms havinginwardly extending lugs arranged for engaging the upper surface of saidbase flange, said arms having the inner walls thereof beneath said lugsarranged to engage the edges of said base flange, said inner walls ofsaid arms normally spaced a less distance apart than the cross-sectionallength of said rail base flange, so that upon springing said plates ontosaid rail said lugs will be moved apart to allow said inner walls toresiliently engage the edges of said base flange and said lugs toresiliently engage the upper surface of said flange to preventlongitudinal, lateral and overturning movement of said rail, each ofsaid plates being provided with holes therethrough which holes ofsaid-respective plate register with the holes at one end of said crosstie when said plates are-positioned on each side thereof, and securingmeans passing through said holes of said plates and tie for securingsaid rail to said tie, said plates having each of the holes thereofdisposed at different distances with respect to the center line thereofand with respect to said arms thereof, so that said plates may bereversibly mounted on the cross tie by turning said plates around end toend so that the ends of said plates formerly on the gage side of saidrail are on the outside of said rail and thereby causing said rail andthe center line of said plates to be shifted longitudinally of said tiefor correcting the gage of said rail.

4. The combination of a rail having a tread and a base flange, asupporting crosstie having a pair of holes at each end extendingtransversely thereof, anchor plates disposed along a side of said tie ateach end thereof, said plates having holes formed therethroughregistering with the holes in said tie, means passing through the holesof said plates and tie for securing said plates to said tie, each platehaving the holes thereof disposed at different distances from the centerof said plate so that upon reversing the position of said plate on saidtie and bringing the end of said plate formerly on the gage side of saidrail on the outside of said rail the center line of said plate will beaccordingly shifted, and lugs on each of said plates for engaging saidbase flange of said rail.

5. The combination of a rail having a tread and a base flange, asupporting crosstie having a pair of holes at each end extendingtransversely thereof, anchor plates disposed along a side of said tie ateach end thereof, said plates having holes formed therethroughregistering with the holes in said tie, means passing through the holesof said plates and tie for securing said plates to said tie, each platehaving the holes thereof disposed at different distances from the centerof said plate so that upon reversing the position of said plate on saidtie and bringing the ends of said plate formerly on the gage side ofsaid rail on the outside of said rail the center of said plate will beaccordingly shifted, and resilient lugs on each of said plates forsecuring said base flange of said rail to said tie and plate to retainsaid rail against longitudinal and turning movement.

THOMAS F. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Carmichael Mar. 6, 1945

